


The House of the Rising Sun

by maryperk



Series: The House Verse [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: BtVS3, F/M, Sexual Situations, Undercover As Prostitute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-13
Updated: 2014-09-13
Packaged: 2018-02-17 06:27:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2299721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maryperk/pseuds/maryperk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the disaster known as the Cruciamentum, Giles and Buffy become rogue demon hunters.  Their first case brings Buffy to a brothel named The House of the Rising Sun in search of missing person.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Buffy stared into the mirror. After being undercover for two weeks, she still wasn’t used to the glamour that she had on her face. The dark hair was a dye job, but the brown eyes, horns, and non-human skin tone were magic. She thought back to the meeting with Giles in the Sunnydale High School library three weeks ago.

_”I have our first job.” Giles held up a paper. “A local businessman’s son went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and ended up missing.”_

_“And that pertains to us how?” Buffy looked at Giles with curiosity in her eyes. They were supposed to be demon hunters now. This sounded like a police situation for humans._

_“Because, my dear, this means we have our first case as freelancer demon hunters.” Giles handed Buffy the paper. “Lance Baldwin Jr. disappeared after going to a brothel by the name House of the Rising Sun with his friends.”_

_“Why us and not a normal detective agency?” Buffy stared at the paper, taking in all the information._

_“Because the House of the Rising Sun is a demonic brothel.”_

So, that was how Buffy the Vampire Slayer was sitting in a demon brothel waiting anxiously for the evenings clients to arrive. The mistress of the establishment was the only one that knew Buffy’s real identity. At least that’s what Buffy thought.

Giles had completed extensive research on the demoness to make sure she wasn’t the one behind the disappearance. Luckily for Giles and Buffy, Mistress Jake was an honest, hardworking prostitute who treated her girls and her clients well. Mistress Jake was as concerned about the vanishing man as his father had been. The young woman who had entertained Lance Baldwin Jr. said that he finished up with her, dressed, and stepped out into the hallway. He wasn’t seen again by anyone in the brothel or his friends. It was all very mysterious.

Buffy took one last look in the mirror before she slid the little crystal into a secret pocket in her garter. Once crushed on her client’s skin, the crystal would make him believe that he had just had the best sexual experience of his lifetime. It further allowed the victim to think he had participated in his favored fantasy. Buffy straightened her garment at her breasts, and she hurried out of the room. 

Downstairs, Buffy waited with the other girls. She thought they were all very nice girls, and she hoped that none of them had anything to do with the boy’s disappearance. Buffy looked around at each of the other women. She fiddled with the ring that held her glamour in place while she studied each woman in turn.

Each one had an interesting story to tell. At thirty, Jehna was the oldest of the ladies residing at the House of the Rising Sun. There was also Jheina, a half Brachen who could shift from a human guise to a demonic one at will. Nalia was the youngest at eighteen, not counting Buffy who was a few months younger, but no one else knew that. The Slayer had upped her age by a year for the assignment. Jeheria, a statuesque black woman who was a quarter Polgara demon, was the most unexpected mix. Buffy hadn’t understood how that had happened until Jeheria told her she was from a long line of women of the night. Killisa and Millisa were twins that specialized in double teaming their clients. It helped that they were half Naga which allowed them to unhinge their joints, making them extra flexible.

Buffy herself was going by the name of Jalav for the duration of her stay. She had randomly picked the name from a Starbucks menu on the way to LAX. It sounded cool when she had ordered the Venti Jalav with extra shots of vanilla and whipped cream on top. Giles had given her an odd look, but he hadn’t protested her choice.

Mistress Jake clapped her hands. “Look alive, ladies. The guests will be here in less than five minutes. Killisa and Millisa, I have a pair of twins that will be interested in being with you tonight. They are quite rich. So, your tips will be splendid. Jalav, your special talents will be needed for a vampire tonight. The rest of you will have ordinary mortals. Be careful with them.”

Buffy touched the spot where the crystal was hidden. Of all the men she had been paired with, this would be her first vampire. She just hoped her instincts didn’t go haywire. If he ended up staked before he could pay Mistress Jake, she wouldn’t be happy. It would be bad for business. Buffy rose to her feet to cross to the bar for a glass of water before she greeted her vampire client. 

“Give me a glass of water, Loki,” Buffy said softly to the bartender. She scanned the mirror behind the bar when the clients trailed in the front door. Buffy could feel the shiver of power on the back of her neck that told her that whoever her vamp patron was, he was old enough to be a master. She gave a grateful smile to Loki when he handed her the water. In the mirror, she could see Mistress Jake approach, one hand floating in midair.

“Jalav, this is your benefactor for the evening,” Mistress Jake said.

Buffy turned around, and she had to swallow a gasp. Standing there with Mistress Jake’s hand tucked inside his elbow was her mortal enemy Spike. Buffy knew this would be a test for her glamoured look. If she could fool Spike, she could fool anyone.

Buffy took a deep breath, held out one hand, and warmly cooed, “Hello, handsome. What’s your name?”

“Hello, luv.” Spike bowed over the outreached hand, and he brushed the knuckles with cool lips. “My name’s William, but you can call me Spike.”

“Pleased to meet you, Spike,” Buffy replied. She resisted the urge to pull her hand away from the vampire. The sensation running up her arm to her spine was not the revulsion that she thought she’d be feeling. Buffy gestured towards the bar. “Would you like a drink before we retire upstairs?”

“That sounds like a right fine idea,” Spike answered. “Give me a shot of Jack Daniels straight up.” 

Loki poured the vampire’s drink. He knew without being told that the new girl was the Slayer. She had made him feel all out of sorts the entire time she had been in the building, but he still had no idea what she was doing in the House of the Rising Sun. He was equally unsure if Madam Jake knew her identity. He hoped that the Slayer took some kind of rash action towards the bleached blond vampire. If the Slayer staked the client, then Mistress Jake was sure to get rid of her. Loki needed her gone to make sure his secret was safe.

When the drink was placed on the bar, Spike took the glass in one hand, and he offered the other to the call girl. He had a hard time thinking of her as Jalav. There was something vaguely familiar about the female. He hoped by morning he would figure it out. Spike hated when he couldn’t solve a puzzle of this type.

Buffy took Spike’s arm, and she led him upstairs to her room. Once inside she undressed to the point she always did with her clients. She was naked enough to be enticing but still dressed enough to cover all the important parts. Buffy watched as Spike dispensed with his duster, outer shirt, and boots before he lay back on the bed in a casual pose.

“Come here, pet.” Spike beckoned the call girl towards him with a wave of his hand. He licked his lips in anticipation as the female sauntered towards him. It had been months since he had looked for sexual gratification. After Drusilla’s escapade with the Chaos demon, and his jaunt to Sunnydale, the vampire just hadn’t been up to having sex. No pun intended. 

Buffy crawled up the bed to straddle Spike’s hips. She leaned down to cover his lips with her own while her hand slid along the garter belt to where the fantasy crystal was hidden. Buffy moaned in surprised passion when Spike’s hand touched the back of her head. Before she could grab the crystal, she found herself flat on her back with the amorous vampire nestled between her legs.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Spike leaned down to cover the struggling girl’s lips. He could feel her repressing the strength to toss him off her body. When she laid compliant beneath him, his lips left hers, and he nibbled down her jaw line to her ear. Spike suckled on the lobe before he whispered, “Not gonna hurt you, pet. I’m just here for some harmless fun.”

Buffy let out a snort. “You’re a vamp. I think our ideas of harmless fun are different.” She let out a gasp when Spike nipped her ear.

Spike licked Jalav’s warm flesh to savor her flavor. “Mmm, I’m sure it does, but this evening there’ll be no bitin’, I promise.”

Spike felt a strange need to reassure the young woman, especially if he was going to introduce her to the game he wanted to play. He had a feeling she hadn’t been in the business very long. There was still an air of innocence about her. Spike had picked this brothel because the girls tended to cater to one client per night. After Drusilla’s last affair with a fungus demon, he didn’t want any sloppy seconds.

Buffy saw the sincerity in Spike’s eyes. He really wasn’t going to try to bite her or kill her. Maybe there was more to him than she had previously thought. After all, it was his speech a few months before in Sunnydale that had helped her get past her relationship with Angel. “For whatever reason.” Buffy bit her lip for a moment before she nodded. “I believe you.”

Spike hummed his approval. “Now that we have that out of the way, Spiky’s been a bad boy. He needs his Mistress to punish him.” The vampire scrambled off Buffy, and he sank to his knees beside the bed with his head lowered and his hands at his sides. “Do you want your slave to undress now, Mistress?”

Buffy looked at the vampire in amazement. She had never suspected that Spike had a submissive streak. She had always thought of him as being quite dominant, especially after he had told her and Angel that he was going to hunt Dru down to torture her until she loved him again.

Spike looked up at the call girl. “Is this going to be a problem, luv? We can do it the regular way if you don’t want to.”

Buffy held up her hand. “No, no, just give me a moment to adjust. I just wasn’t expecting this. I thought vampires were kinda dominant during sex.” She was actually feeling a bit turned on at the idea of having Spike at her beck and call. She could finally do all the nasty little fantasies that had crossed her mind in connection to the bleached blond vamp, and he’d be none the wiser as to whom his Mistress really was. 

Spike tilted his head to the side. Her innocence was showing again, but he had a feeling that she’d take to dominating him like a duck takes to water. “Most people, vamps included, are one way or the other. I’m both, pet. I can play either role and enjoy them both.”

“Oh.” Buffy bit her lip. “Well, this would probably work better if you were naked,” she said in an uncertain voice.

“Be confident and forceful, luv. I can take anything you dish out.” Spike wagged his eyebrows at the girl while giving a tongue-curled smirk.

Buffy nodded, took a deep breath, and rose to her feet. She had read a few books to prepare herself for this assignment. She just hoped she could pull this off without Spike figuring out her identity. Buffy circled the kneeling vampire. “Take off your clothes, Spike,” she told him in her most commanding voice.

Spike hurried to remove his clothing. He could feel the girl’s heated gaze take in his nakedness. A small flare of his nostrils told him that she appreciated his body. Once again, the feeling that he knew her swept over him, and it had something to do with the lovely scent wafting into his nostrils. As he sank back down to his knees, he started to catalogue the women he had met in the past five years.

“Good boy.” Buffy tentatively rested her hand on the top of Spike’s head. She couldn’t keep herself from admiring the toned and buff body on display in front of her. She was unsure of what to do first. So, she went to the armoire in the corner that contained a plethora of sex toys. Inside, she found herself a collar and leash. Buffy turned around to grin at Spike. “Since you’re name is Spike, you’re gonna be my little puppy.”

“Yes, Mistress. If that’s what you so desire.” Spike didn’t look up when the girl crossed the room to stand in front of him, but he did quiver in anticipation. He held as still as possible while she put the collar around his neck, buckled it up, and fastened the leash to the O ring.

“Come along, puppy.” Buffy tugged the leash firmly, and she forced Spike to circle the room on his hands and knees. She decided he looked much more like a giant cat than a dog. 

After a while of watching him prowl around the room behind her, Buffy was hit with an inspiring idea. She had read about oral sex for both sexes, but her time with Angel had been over almost instantly. _Guess that’s what happens when you go without for a century,_ she snorted to herself. She decided that right now would be a good time to experience having her pussy licked. After all, Spike certainly liked to show the soft, twisty organ off.

Spike was unsure what the girl had planned for him, but he willingly followed when she tugged him towards an armchair in the corner of the room. He watched from beneath his lashes while she perched on the edge of the cushion with her legs spread. He could see her virginal white undies under the short skirt she was wearing. Then she lifted off her top to expose her breasts.

Buffy had made sure that the glamour didn’t actually change her body shape, just the color of certain features. She cupped her breasts while she tweaked her nipples. “You, puppy, are by the far the handsomest vampire I’ve ever seen. I thought so the first time I laid eyes on you.” She put one hand out to Spike, and she wiggled a finger at him to come closer.

Spike crawled between the girl’s legs. When she indicated that she wanted his mouth on her breasts, he eagerly complied. After the taste of her skin earlier, he was ready to taste her skin again. When she leaned back on her arms to push her breasts forward for him, he started to suck and pinch at the nipples until he could feel the thighs resting against his sides start to quiver. 

“Keep sucking until I come, or you’ll be punished,” Buffy rasped. She had never realized her breasts were so sensitive, but Spike’s cool mouth and hands had her very close to the edge of orgasm. Buffy let out a loud groan when the vampire renewed his vigorous assault on her tits.

Spike had never seen a woman so easily brought to orgasm. Drusilla certainly hadn’t been like that even with the enhanced nerve endings that female vamps seemed to have. Darla had been close if her interactions with Angelus had been any indication, but even she hadn’t been as responsive as this woman.

Buffy felt her lower body tighten with her impending climax. Her pussy felt incredibly empty as she cried out the vampire’s name when she came. “Take off my panties,” Buffy managed to say through stilted breaths.

Spike grunted his agreement to the command. He licked down her stomach with his cool tongue while his deft fingers slid her panties down her legs. When he had then in his hands, he pulled away for a moment to sniff at the undergarment. Spike saw Jalav look at him through hooded eyes, and he could definitely smell how much his actions were turning her on again.

Buffy panted in arousal while Spike sniffed her panties. Something about the silky, white garment and his heated blue eyes watching her just made her hornier for the vampire. She moaned in anticipation when Spike dropped the underwear and returned his mouth to her flesh. His hands smoothed up her thighs while his mouth followed the path laid out by his hands.

Spike licked and sucked his way up the female’s legs. He wanted to leave his mark on her, but he had promised that he wouldn’t bite that night. He smirked to himself because he had never said anything about in the morning. He spread her legs even more apart, and he stared at the pretty, pink flower in front of him. Spike had a sudden vision of the Slayer being in front of him, exactly as this woman was now. He glanced up at her face. 

One of the problems with glamour magic was that it only worked if the people you came into contact with didn’t figure out who you were by other means. Spike had to stifle a gasp as he realized that the prostitute that he had hired was none other than Buffy Summers, and she was letting him do all the nasty things to her that he had only imagined doing.

“Put your mouth on my pussy, puppy,” Buffy managed to stammer without blushing too much. She let out a surprised gasp when Spike attacked her most private parts with vigorously, in a way she’d never experienced before. “Oh fuck,” she muttered when he latched onto her clit with his blunt, human teeth. She tunneled one hand into his hair while she put her legs over his shoulders to give him better access.

Spike lapped at Buffy’s quim while his fingers trailed through the petals to dip inside her tight sucking hole. Whatever the Slayer was doing in the brothel, he had a feeling it wasn’t being a whore. Her pussy just didn’t have the feeling that a well used prostitute’s would. Spike could feel her climb towards orgasm start again. He was still amazed at how fast she responded to him, and he knew she had to know who he was. _Angelus was such a fool,_ he thought to himself.

Buffy felt her body quiver in response to Spike’s actions. How could an evil soulless vampire make her feel so good? She removed her hand from his hair, and she started to tug on one of her breasts. God, she felt like she was on fire, and he was the only thing that could put it out. “Spike!” she called out. “Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.” She felt her orgasm rip through her. It was even stronger than the last one.

Buffy fell back against the armchair. She could feel the muscles in her legs and pussy twitching from use. Spike continued to soothe the abused flesh between her legs. She looked down at him with new eyes. She had no idea how her mortal enemy could make her feel like she was a queen. 

“Not plannin’ on stoppin’, Slayer.” 

Buffy let out a gasp as she looked down at the bright blue eyes staring back at her. She could see her juices glistening on his face. “What did you say?”


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“I said, I’m not plannin’ on stoppin’, Slayer,” Spike drawled with deliberate pronunciation of his earlier words.

But … I … How could you tell? The glamour is supposed to be perfect,” Buffy protested. She wanted to pull away from Spike, but she wasn’t going to give the satisfaction of thinking he’d unsettled her that much. She mentally went over the places that she had hid weapons around the room. She fisted one hand, and she immediately found her wrists imprisoned by the vampire again.

Spike gripped the Slayer’s wrists before he leaned in to whisper in a husky voice, “I spent days, weeks, and months studying your every move, Buffy. I know your scent, and now I know your taste.”

Buffy struggled against Spike’s grip. He leaned into her with his body during her struggle, trapping her against the chair. She gasped when his lips again assaulted her ear and neck. “Spike,” she whimpered.

“Promised I wouldn’t hurt you, luv.” Spike rose to his feet, and he pulled Buffy up with him. “Now, what are you doin’ in New Orleans in a demon brothel? Don’t bother to lie.”

Buffy tried to jerk away from Spike, but his hold on her tightened while he pulled her towards the bed. “Let me go, Spike. I’ll tell you everything if you just let me go.”

Spike leered at Buffy. “Not bloody likely, Slayer. I’ve finally got you right where I want you.” He pushed Buffy down on the bed, and he threw himself down upon her body. She was easily trapped beneath him. “Where I’ve always wanted you, from the moment I saw you dancin’ in the Bronze with your friends.”

“You wanted to kill me, Spike, not fuck me,” Buffy scoffed. If he was going to kill her, she wished he’d get it done. She didn’t want to be lied to.

Spike buried his face in Buffy’s neck. He gave the scented flesh a long, leisurely lick. “Not true. I agree that making you my third Slayer was foremost in my mind, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t notice your charms.” He continued to nibble her flesh. He felt no urge to drain her of her blood. That’s not to say he didn’t want to bite her, but he found himself wanting to make her his mate. Sometimes he thought his demon was as nutty as Dru.

“You’re really handsome yourself, for a blood sucking fiend,” Buffy conceded in a whisper. “I really did think so when you stepped out of the shadows behind the Bronze.” She could feel her arousal growing again when Spike slid down to lave her aching nipples. “I was pretty upset when I was going to have to kill you instead of ask you out.”

“What are you doing here?” Spike took both of Buffy’s wrists in one hand while he used the other to align his cock with the opening of her pussy. She knew who he was from the start, and she hadn’t pushed him away. There was no way he wasn’t going to sample all of Buffy’s charms that night. He let out a hiss as he sank into her hot wetness.

Buffy let out her own hiss as she felt her pussy stretch to welcome the hard, smooth invader. “Some dude disappeared here. His father hired us to find him,” she panted.

Spike allowed himself a bit of time to adjust the heat and tightness now surrounding his prick. He had the feeling that if Buffy squeezed her muscles just right, he’d come like a teenaged boy. “We who?” His voice was muffled when he again buried his face in her neck and shoulder. His free hand went down to adjust one soft, muscled thigh, letting him sink further into her quim.

Buffy’s eyes fluttered shut when the hard shaft between her legs slipped deeper inside. A small surge of Spike’s hips got her attention, and she answered his question. “Giles and I. He got fired from the Council, and I quit. So, we went into the demon hunting business together. I took my GED because Snyder wouldn’t leave me alone. So, no more high school, and college doesn’t start until fall.”

“What did dear old grandpa think of this little trip, pet?” Spike could feel the jealousy boiling inside him. He doubted Angelus would have liked his girl working in a brothel for any reason. Besides, Spike didn’t like the idea of anyone ‘waiting at home’ for Buffy to return. He wanted her as his and his alone.

“I realized you were right,” Buffy gasped when she saw the jealousy in Spike’s face. She wondered why he would be feeling that emotion. “I broke up with Angel the same day you left. He wouldn’t accept it at first, but when the other Slayer named Faith killed the deputy mayor, he decided she needed him more than me.” She shrugged the best she could with her hands trapped the way they were.

Spike growled in approval that the gelled ninny wasn’t going to be a problem in his pursuit of the Slayer. If Angel hadn’t been around last time he had been in Sunnydale, who knows what might have happened. “Good, because you belong to me now, Slayer.” He punctuated each word with a thrust of his hips.

Buffy let out a guttural moan. She curled her legs around Spike’s hips, and she thrust her pelvis upwards the best she could. “Spike,” she whimpered in delight as he touched a spot hidden deep inside her body.

Spike let go of Buffy’s wrists, and he slid his hands under her arse to lift her for better penetration. “You feel so bloody good, Slayer. I could stay between your thighs forever.”

“I don’t have forever.”

“You will,” Spike answered softly. When he finally took her for his mate, her life force would be tied to his own, but it wasn’t time to tell her that little piece of information.

Buffy arched her back while she tightened her inner muscles. She grinned when Spike let out a strangled groan of pleasure. Every time he thrust inside her pussy, she squeezed him.

“Fuck, Buffy, keep doing that,” Spike grunted. The power behind his plunging cock was more than the average woman could handle, but he could see the pleasure on Buffy’s face. He leaned down to take a hardened nipple into his mouth. He let out a feral growl when he felt her fingernails sink into the flesh of his back, and he released his seed within her grasping quim.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy woke up slowly. Her muscles hurt, and she realized that her bed wasn’t empty. A cool body curled around her. She and Spike had spent the night doing things she’d only read and dreamed about. Buffy had fully expected him to be gone in the morning despite any declarations that he had made about wanting to be with her forever. Oh, he had bitten her several times after he had explained that after midnight was no longer evening, and he had only promised no biting during the evening. Buffy chuckled at this bending of the truth. She was surprised that he had been gentle and sensual with his fangs though. She had truly expected him to drain her dry.

“You’re thinkin’ too much, Slayer,” a voice rumbled from behind Buffy. 

“That happens when I’m supposed to be on a case, and I’m too busy letting a vampire have his wicked way with me,” Buffy grumbled. She pulled away from Spike, and she rose to her feet. “I need to check with Madame Jake. I’ve been here two weeks and nothing. Not one john has disappeared.”

“Might be an inside job, and someone has figured you out.” Spike rolled over on his back to watch Buffy put on a robe.

“Yeah, there is that possibility,” Buffy said. “Although, I doubt it was Nalia. She is really quite sweet.”

A knock on the door interrupted Spike’s reply. When Buffy went to answer the door, she found Loki the bartender on the other side with her breakfast in hand. As she took the tray, the man looked past her only to see the vampire still residing in Buffy’s bed. 

“What’s he still doing here?” Loki said. His attitude clearly spoke of his disappointment over Spike’s presence. “Mistress Jake likes the clients to be cleared out before ten.” Since the Slayer hadn’t dusted Spike, Loki didn’t want the vampire to hang around any longer. The bloodsucker might be able to sniff out his secret.

“It’s not ten yet,” Buffy replied. Something about the bartender’s words made her suspicious of his motives. Mistress Jake always stressed that the client was always right. While she preferred the clients to be gone before ten in the morning, it wasn’t a set rule. She looked over one shoulder, and she raised one eyebrow at Spike.

Spike gave Buffy a minute nod. “I’m plannin’ on buying another night of this lovely lady’s time. If you’d be so kind as to let the Mistress know that I need to speak to her.” He watched the bartender’s eyes widen in terror before the other man schooled his face to a more casual acknowledgement.

“Sure thing,” Loki said. Inside he was seething mad. If the Slayer found out he had kidnapped the human boy to send back to his home dimension for a sacrifice, she would be mad enough to kill him. Then what would the point of the kidnapping since it had been done to avoid Loki’s death in the first place? The fact that the vampire wanted to talk to Madam Jake didn’t bode well for Loki. The bartender gave the Slayer a small salute before he ambled down the hall towards the stairs.

Buffy pushed the door shut with her foot. “Did he give you the wiggins too?” she asked while she took the tray to the bed. “He just seemed so antsy today.”

“He doesn’t like me bein’ here.” Spike leaned forward to pull the cover off the tray. “He’s actin’ very suspicious.”

“Yeah, I thought so too. We better watch out for him.” Buffy looked at breakfast with delight. The cook made the best cheesecake filled pancakes covered with strawberries. Buffy thought they were even better than IHOP’s. 

About ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. Buffy put down her fork, and she got up to answer the door. Standing outside her room was Mistress Jake. When the madam stepped inside, she was surprised to see the vampire still in attendance. “What’s up, Jalav?” 

“He knows who I am,” Buffy said after she closed the door behind Madam Jake. “You don’t have to pretend.” 

“You told him?” Madam Jake sounded surprised.

“Nope.” Buffy shook her head. “Spike guessed it all on his own. Spike and I met about a year and a half ago when he showed up in Sunnydale.”

“How come you didn’t stake him?”

“Oh, I tried, it just didn’t take.” Buffy grinned at Spike. She went back to the bed to finish her breakfast.

“Slayer’s kinda hard to miss when she’s stakin’ the minions,” Spike drawled. He plucked a strawberry off Buffy’s plate, and he popped the fruit in his mouth.

“Speaking of minions, Loki’s acting weird,” Buffy said. Then she took a bite of pancake. She studied Madam Jake’s reaction while she chewed.

“I hired Loki as a favor for an old friend,” Madam Jake said after a few moments of thought. “He is not of this dimension. In his home dimension, sacrifice is a way of life. If you are chosen, you either have to give your life or find someone to take your place. I only know this because recently my old friend allowed himself to be sacrificed in the place of his wife. I have mourned greatly.”

Buffy swallowed the food in her mouth. “This has been my only clue so far. I’ll go confront him as soon as I finish eating.”

“Not dressed in that, Slayer.” Spike eyed Buffy’s state of dishevelment. “No one is allowed to see your goodies but me.” He leaned in to give the Slayer a strawberry flavored snog.

Madam Jake felt the heat rise in the room as Buffy and her vampire indulged in some good old fashioned kissing. She had wondered if matching the Slayer with Spike would be a good decision. Upon seeing them together like this, she knew she had done a good job. Jake had come close to letting the vampire be entertained by one of the other girls, but something in his aura had pushed her towards pairing him with Buffy. Now she was glad she had gone with her instincts. They would be great for each other should they allow themselves not to be influenced by anyone else in their life.

Buffy pulled away from Spike. “Fine, you proved your point.” She gave Spike a sly glance. “You aren’t gonna leave me alone with this dude are you?”

“Hell no!” Spike stood up with the sheet wrapped around his hips. “I’m not leavin’ you alone with that git.” He swept up his clothes, and he disappeared into the bathroom. He knew Buffy was capable of handling just about anything, but he was never one to leave his woman to fend for herself. He would stand by her side and watch her back.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Some guys are so easy.” Then, she turned her attention back to Madam Jake. “Tell the other girls to stay in their rooms for a bit. Spike and I will handle this just fine.”

“Thanks, Buffy,” Madam Jake said quietly. “This kind of thing could be bad for our rep. I do run a fair business here. No one is coerced into anything. I know Nalia’s father sold her to me, but she did have the option of working elsewhere in the house. She chose to do what she’s doing.”

“Well, if you get any girls in here that aren’t happy with either option, let me know.” Buffy went to get some of her other clothes. “I’ll find something for them to do. I can always use more people on my side.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Madam Jake replied with a nod. She opened the door to check to see if anyone had been outside.

“Give us a few minutes to get dressed. We’ll be down to talk to Loki then.” Buffy took off her robe, and she pulled on her pants.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Spike leaned against the bathroom door frame. He studied Buffy while the Slayer spoke to her Watcher on a cell phone, and he had to ask himself what the hell had happened. He had come to the demonic brothel for a simple shag. However, he was pretty sure he had found much, much more. Spike knew that Buffy had to know his identity the minute she laid eyes on him, and yet she had gone along with his requests.

Spike had asked Buffy between bouts of love making how she managed to avoid having sex with her other clients. He’d been glad to hear about the fantasy crystal. Although, he had also been indignant when he found out she planned on using it on him too before she got caught up by the possibilities of his submission to her. It pleased him to know that she wasn’t playing the whore to the hilt. He didn’t expect a virgin, but her ingenuity was another thing in her corner in his eyes.  
The bleached blond vampire watched as the Slayer bounced to her feet all the while assuring the man on the other end of the phone that she would be careful when she confronted the bartender. He admired every angle of her form from his position. He admitted to himself that he never really hated Buffy Summers. Just because he wanted to make her his third Slayer had nothing to do with liking or disliking the girl. After all, he was male, and she was one shaggable female.

When Buffy looked over at Spike and smiled at him, the vampire was glad that he never succeeded in killing her. Otherwise he wouldn’t be here and truly happy for the first time in as long as he could remember. He now realized that whatever happiness he thought he felt with his Sire was only an illusion. Spike had been thrilled to hear that Buffy always had harbored a secret yen for him. It told him that whatever passion flared between Slayer and vampire the night before hadn’t been one-sided and probably never had been.

When Buffy hung up the phone, Spike pushed himself away from the door frame. “Problem, pet?” he asked.

“He wanted me to wait until Angel and Faith got here to help,” Buffy answered in an exasperated tone. “Like I need their help when I have you.”

“Did you tell him that?” Spike lifted one eyebrow. He knew she hadn’t mentioned him by name. The Slayer had been very vague with her Watcher about ‘recruiting’ Spike.

“You know I didn’t.” Buffy pouted. “I don’t want to tell anyone about us until the last possible moment. I so don’t need some kind of intervention.” Her face saddened. “No one in my life ,except Giles and my mom, have that right anymore. Mom likes you though. She thinks you’re a sweet boy.”

“I am not sweet or a boy,” Spike protested. Then, he took in what she said before she stated Joyce’s opinion of him. He gave her a suspicious look. “What do you mean you have no one? What happened to all your little Scooby friends? They were a big reason why I had problems the last time I was in Sunnydale.”

Buffy bit her lip while she gave him a sad look. “Most of them blamed me for the disaster that sprang from your kidnapping Willow and Xander.”

“That doesn’t sound right, Slayer.” Spike cautiously approached Buffy. He didn’t think a simple kidnapping would be enough to rip the Scoobies apart. After all, Angelus had kidnapped the Watcher and nothing like that had happened.

Buffy shrugged in a careless manner that was in no way what it appeared. “Oz and Cordelia caught them kissing in the warehouse where you held them prisoner. Cordy got hurt pretty badly when she fell on some rebar, and she won’t talk to Xander or the rest of us. He’s all bad moody too. Oz broke up with Willow. Oz talks to me, but Willow’s sticking with Xander. I guess Willow and Xander are dating now, and they hang out with Angel and Faith.”

Spike put his arms around Buffy. He always thought the bond between Buffy and her friends was quite solid. He could tell that the blame her so called friends laid at her feet was hurting her heart.

“It’s been hard.” Buffy relaxed into Spike’s embrace. She knew it was wrong to let a bloodsucking vampire this close to her, but she felt loved and safe in his arms. “I’m working on getting new friends though. There’s this one girl Anya. She used to be a vengeance demon until Giles from a different dimension destroyed her power supply. She’s really knowledgeable about demons and stuff.”

Spike nodded. He understood enough about human nature to know that Buffy needed to talk. She had probably been repressing all of her feelings since the others had turned their backs on her. Spike rested his chin on her head to let her ramble for awhile.

“I’ve applied to some colleges out of state. Giles says there’s a Hellmouth in Cleveland.” Buffy settled against the vampire with her ear to his unbeating heart. Strangely enough the silence calmed her inner turmoil. “Something big is going down in Sunnydale soon though. We might have to take care of that first. I don’t want to leave them hanging out to dry during an apocalypse.”

“Anything you like, pet. You’re a lot better’n that lot since you won’t leave them even after they’ve left you.” Spike kissed Buffy’s head. “From what I heard on the grapevine, the Mayor’s gonna try to ascend during some lunar event.”

It was Buffy’s turn to nod. “We’ll have to look into that just as soon as we finish up with the bartender dude.” The hurt young woman was gone, and in her place was a Slayer ready to do battle. She cupped Spike’s cheek. “I want to make whatever this is between us work, Spike.”

“Strangely enough, so do I, Slayer,” Spike assured Buffy. “Now, pet, do you happen to have any of those manly weapons of yours. I left all of mine out in the car.”

“Sure.” Buffy nodded. She slipped out of Spike’s embrace, and she hurried over to the bed. Kneeling down, Buffy pulled a flat trunk from the darkness under the bed. She opened it, and with a wave her hand, said, “Voila. Take your pick.”

Spike watched with amusement as several stakes and small knives disappeared into the Slayer’s clothes. He knew from his study of her fighting style that Buffy used anything available to fight. He thought about how she had warned him to duck before she threw the holy water at the pissant minions a few months before in Sunnydale. Spike had wondered about that ever since. It wasn’t exactly like the Slayer to give him any chances, even if he did have her little so called friends as his prisoners. After Buffy moved away from the weapons stash, he moved in to pick out a few small items to secret away in his pockets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What do you mean she doesn’t want us to come help her?” Angel spluttered when Giles told him and Faith that Buffy didn’t want them to come to New Orleans. He couldn’t believe that he had been kept out of the loop when it came to what Giles and Buffy were doing. “You can’t really believe she can handle this alone do you?”

Giles was standing on the upper level of the library, slowly packing his precious book collection. He rolled his eyes at the dark-haired vampire’s posturing before he turned around to speak. “Buffy has a partner that is working closely with her on this case, Angel. There’s nothing to worry about.” He wasn’t completely sure who this new partner was, but he hoped that who he thought it was could be trusted. Buffy needed some support after her friends’ betrayal.

Angel threw his hands up in the air. “How the hell can she trust someone she just met? They could be who she’s investigating.”

While his Slayer hadn’t came right out to say who her new partner was, Giles read between the lines to figure out what she meant. He wasn’t at all happy with who he thought she was implying was there with her, he had to admit he wasn’t surprised. Buffy and Spike always seemed to have a connection that he never quite understand. Giles hefted a book in one hand before he slyly replied, “Somehow I think Buffy can handle Spike quite nicely. After all, she is the Slayer.”

“She’s not _the_ Slayer,” Faith said in a defensive tone. “I am. She’s the spare, you know.”

Strangely enough, Wesley was the one to speak up first, “She’s still a senior Slayer, Faith. You should show some respect towards that.”

Giles gave the dark-haired Slayer a cool look. He was thankful for Wesley’s interjection, and it increased his opinion of the young man. “Be that as it may, Buffy and Spike are quite capable of handling this on their own. I have every confidence in them.” Although in reality, he wasn’t as convinced about that fact as he tried to sound. 

“You’re not gonna do anything?” Xander grumbled. “She’s hanging around with a vampire.” He gripped Willow’s hand under the table. He hoped that Buffy didn’t bring the bleached menace back to Sunnydale with her. She needed to do her duty and stake the damned vampire.

“Kettle,” Wesley muttered under his breath. He didn’t care much for the young people that Faith insisted on hanging out with. In fact the young Watcher couldn’t figure out why Buffy would select them as her friends either. He’d also warned Faith many times that if they were so fickle as to desert the elder Slayer, then they’d do the same to her in a pinch. However she refused to listen to him.

“I think this would be a time to announce that Buffy and I are leaving Sunnydale as soon as the Mayor is dealt with.” Giles put another book into a box. The time for them to leave couldn’t come too soon. He was tired of the hypocrisy displayed by most of the library’s occupants.

“What?” Willow jerked to attention. “Why would you guys leave?” 

“The Hellmouth only needs one Slayer and one Watcher,” Giles replied. “Buffy and I will move to another Hellmouth, leaving this one to you, Faith and Wesley.”

“But…” Willow felt a sudden rush of guilt for how she had treated Buffy. “What does Mrs. Summers think? She can’t be happy about Buffy deserting her.”

“Joyce agrees with Buffy and I. She has started to apply for jobs in Cleveland.” Giles’ eyes narrowed on Willow. “It is sadly amusing how you assume that we would be deserting Joyce. It shows just how little you know and understand the relationship between Buffy, Joyce, and I.”

“There’s a Hellmouth in Cleveland?” Xander asked in a disbelieving voice.

“There are several around the world actually,” Wesley said in an informative voice. “There’s at least one on each continent, but it’s the one here in Sunnydale that attracts the most attention.” He turned to Giles. “I think it’s an excellent idea to cover Cleveland’s Hellmouth. I would be happy to make an inquiry with my contacts as to the exact location.”

“Thank you, Wesley.” Giles nodded. “That would be very helpful of you.”

“You don’t even care that Buffy could be dead right now at the hands of William the Bloody, do you?” Angel asked. “What kind of Watcher are you?”

“I’m one who regrets how he’s treated his friend and is trying everything to prove it to her.” Giles looked at the gathered group with disdain before he continued, “Her loyalty and judgment are above reproach. Which is more than I can say for some of us in this room.”


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Spike and Buffy cautiously entered the bartender’s domain. He had been easy to for them to capture. They were prepared for anything, or so they thought. Nothing had equipped them for a dimensional jump to rescue Lance Baldwin Jr. Loki’s species looked human enough on Earth, but at home beneath the purple sky, the cerulean tribal tattoos stood out against their pale skin. 

Spike and Buffy were in the middle of a complicated prisoner exchange when Loki grabbed the sword from one of the high priest’s guards. He stabbed Buffy before he took off running across the marshlands that made up his home dimension. He didn’t get far before the guard’s dog-like Hel beasts caught up to him. He was dragged back to be thrown in an undignified heap at the priest’s feet.

Spike let out an enraged roar when he realized that Buffy was more hurt than she was supposed to be. He dropped to his knees next to the Slayer, and he cradled her in his arms. “What the bloody hell is wrong with her?” he snarled at the priest. “She shouldn’t be bleedin’ like this. She’s the Slayer.” He knew she wasn’t supposed to keep bleeding like she was. Her wounds should have already started to clot.

The high priest looked at the vampire in confusion. “Aren’t you at all tempted by her blood?” He had never met a vampire not completely ruled by the bloodlust. He was intrigued that the vampire came to the rescue of a human in the first place.

“I love her, you nit,” Spike growled. “She’s not food.” 

“Food? What food?” Lance asked in a dazed voice. The drug that Loki had injected into the young human’s system was still playing havoc with his faculties. “I got to say the food here sucks, man, and I have a major case of the munchies.” Of course, he didn’t notice that the others ignored his ramblings.

“You love me?” Buffy whispered in a pained voice. She was still struggling with the throbbing agony where the sword had entered her body. Spike’s snarled words broke through her struggle with the pain.

Spike looked down at the Slayer in his arms. “Of course, I do, pet.” He brushed a lock of her blond hair out of her face. “I’d be stupid not to. Crazy thing is that Dru knew even before I did, pet.”

Buffy gave a smile that shined as bright as the sun despite the torturous sting of her wound. “Somebody loves me,” she whispered.

The high priest, Hrolf, watched in disinterest as his guards dragged Loki back to his location. He didn’t care who got sacrificed as long as the Gods were happy, but there were rules. The Gods were unhappy with unwilling sacrifices exchanges, and a quick glance at the loopy Baldwin told the priest that in his right mind the human would be quite averse to being killed. The other problem with Loki’s actions was that it brought the attention of a Slayer and a Master vampire. Normally vamps would revel in the blood and gore, but somehow Hrolf knew that this one was a changed demon due to the woman lying in his arms. 

This chain of events could result in being noticed by the Council of Watchers or worse yet the vampire’s clan. Travel to the Terra dimension could be greatly reduced if the Council interfered. If travel was banned, then the main food staple would be drastically diminished. Hrolf realized that it could mean the end of the species. Shrimp was a delicacy for Hrolf’s genus of demon. Scientists had tried for centuries to cultivate the shellfish in the waters of the dimension without any success. There was something in the water or air that caused any transplanted shrimp to die immediately. Losing the shrimp supply would be disastrous. Hrolf’s musings were interrupted by Loki.

“Please! No!” Loki screamed. He struggled against the guards.

Spike got to his feet with the Slayer in his arms. He glared at Loki with cold, blue eyes. “You soddin’ wanker.”

“I don’t want to die!” Loki shrieked.

“You’re lucky you’re about to have a nice, clean death,” Spike snarled at the struggling demon. “If you weren’t, I’d be more than happy to show you how I earned the moniker Spike.”

Buffy let out a groan. “I’ll be okay, Spike. It just hurts like a son of a beehive.”

Spike snorted at Buffy’s attempt to avoid swearing.

Lance giggled drunkenly. “Son of a beehive. That’s funny.”

Hrolf nodded at the vampire with the respect he would have given a superior priest. He hoped by showing the two blond warriors reverence that they would be inclined not to sic anyone on the dimension. He had something else to offer them too. “Since you didn’t kill us, I will grant you a favor. It is only fair to prevent the injustice of her death after helping us aver an injustice to a human. I shall heal your mate.” 

Spike arched an eyebrow at the priest while he shifted the Slayer’s weight a little. He frowned when she hissed at the movement.

Hrolf raised one hand into the air, and he pointed the other at Buffy. He spoke a few words in his native language. A bolt of lightening came out of the sky, entered his body through the elevated hand, and left his body through the outreached hand.

Buffy murmured in surprise when the lightening hit her. She had expected it to be painful, but instead it was warm and soothing. When the pain left her side, Buffy decided it actually tingled a little bit. She relaxed her tense muscles, and she slumped against Spike’s chest. It felt so good and so right being in his arms.

“Buffy?” Spike tightened his grip on the Slayer. Even though her heartbeat thumped strongly in his ears, he was still a little worried when she sagged against him.

“It’s okay. I feel good,” Buffy reassured the vampire.

“Whoa-oa-oa, I feel good,” Lance sang. “I knew that I would, now!” Then, the still stoned human continued to hum the James Brown tune in his off key voice.

“You can put me down now, Spike,” Buffy said softly. She didn’t struggle against the vampire’s grip, and she seemed perfectly content to stay where she was.

“I don’t want to.” Spike smirked. “I got you right where I want you.”

“You’re the Slayer,” Loki screamed. “Don’t let them kill me. I’m too young to die.”

“Me too.” Lance sounded a bit more alert. “Dad wants me to carry on the Baldwin name. He even has the girl all lined up for me.” He got a dreamy look on his face. “Cordelia Chase. That name has such a nice ring to it.”

“The cheerleader?” Spike let out a snort. He had a distinct memory of the dark-haired girl following that traitorous Harris into the church just before the Slayer crippled him. He grinned when Buffy nodded with a roll of her eyes. Spike turned to Baldwin. “You’re in for a ride with that one, mate.”

“I’m ready to go home,” Buffy said with a pout.

“You can’t go home,” Loki tried to reason with the Slayer one last time. “I was nice to you, Slayer. I didn’t try to kill you or anything. That’s got to count for something! Besides, Madam Jake will be mad if you don’t bring me back!”

Buffy glanced at Loki. “I’ve been studying hard with Giles. He’s my Watcher. He says that I can’t interfere in demon practices unless human lives are at stake. Normally I would have killed you for kidnapping Lance here, but I think your priest guy here has that covered for me.”

“I think I want to watch you die, wanker,” Spike snarled at Loki.

Buffy wrinkled her nose. She didn’t want to see anything that nasty, and she didn’t find the idea entertaining at all. She leaned up to whisper something in Spike’s ear. She giggled when he dropped her to her feet, grabbed Baldwin’s arm, and hustled them all towards the portal where they had entered the dimension. Buffy waved at Hrolf over her shoulder. “Have a nice day. Glad we could help.”

Once Spike and Buffy were back at The House of the Rising Sun, the vampire handed Baldwin off to Madam Jake. She promised to get the young man cleaned up and kept happy till it was time to leave. Then, Spike dragged Buffy off towards her room.

Spike slammed the bedroom door behind Buffy and himself. Then, he trapped the Slayer between the wood and his body. He leaned down to sniff her hair and neck, the scent of her blood still clung to her despite the priest’s healing. Spike was not surprised that the smell made him possessive and upset that she might have died instead of being hungry for her blood.

“Spike,” Buffy whimpered with sudden arousal. Never in a million years had she ever expected to be so turned on by a protective, amorous vampire. Angel had never given her the feeling that she was the center of his universe like Spike was doing with just his small grumbling growls.

“I just found you, Slayer,” Spike snarled in Buffy’s ear. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you now.” He shifted into game face while he shrugged off his duster. Clawed fingers divested the woman in front of him of her own jacket and shirt. Spike dropped to his knees to lick the blood that remained from her former wound on Buffy’s skin.

“Spike,” Buffy whispered the vampire’s name. She buried her fingers in his hair while his cool tongue caressed her skin. Buffy could feel heat curling in the pit of her stomach. There was nothing overtly sexual about Spike’s actions, but she was aroused anyway. Just being near him seemed to ignite the fires deep within her body and soul.

Spike looked up at Buffy’s face with yellow-specked blue eyes. He lifted one foot, removed her boot and sock, and then he turned his attention to the other foot. Spike smelled the very familiar scent of the Slayer’s arousal. He let out a deep rumbling purr before he attacked Buffy’s pants with his claws.

Buffy let out a small indignant shriek that her pants were destroyed by the ardent vampire. However, her pants were the last thing on her mind when Spike lifted one leg over his shoulder to expose her slippery, wet pussy to his gaze. A quivering moan escaped Buffy’s lips when some cool fingers and a chilled tongue attacked her throbbing clit and moist slit. 

Spike tormented Buffy with his teeth and tongue. He pulled away slightly to watch her face while he roughly pushed the fingers of one hand inside her tight passage. He circled the hard little pleasure nub with the thumb of the same hand. When she squirmed from the pained pleasure, the vampire bared his fangs with a warning growl. Spike curled the other hand around the leg over his shoulder. Opening his mouth wide, he buried his teeth in the soft, buttery flesh of her thigh just as her pussy started to tighten and flutter around his questing fingers.

Buffy had an immediate sensory overload when Spike sank his sharpened incisors into her skin. Her orgasm was so intense that she didn’t notice when he bellowed out the word ‘mine’ or the fact that she automatically howled her response of ‘yours’. In a few moments, she blacked out from the pleasure.

Spike sank back on his haunches, his mouth stretched in a bloody smirk. He continued to manipulate the Slayer’s sheath with his fingers while he watched her long-lasting climax. When Buffy accepted his claim, it had taken all of his control not to empty his hard cock into his pants like a teenaged boy. Spike hoped that she wouldn’t be adverse in returning the claim as soon as possible. He caught Buffy in his arms when she slumped against him. Her orgasm zapped the last bit of her remaining strength.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Spike licked the bite marks on Buffy’s thigh closed before he rose to his feet with his Slayer in his arms. He settled her on the bed, and then he dispensed with his own clothes. Spike settled next to Buffy where he waited for her to wake from her fainting spell.

Buffy’s eyelids fluttered. She felt so many sensations bombarding her that she refused to open her eyes until she could process them all. After she took a few minutes to assimilate everything, she was able to discern what her own feelings were and which emotions belonged to the vampire next to her.

“Buffy,” Spike whispered against the Slayer’s skin while he nuzzled her neck. “Do you have any idea what you just did?”

“Mmmhmmm,” Buffy acknowledged the question as she stretched her arms up over her head. Upon opening her eyes, she rolled over to put her arms around Spike. “I let you claim me.”

“Yes, you did.” Spike pulled Buffy closer. He was surprised that she was so calm about the situation. His first thought had been that Buffy didn’t know what she’d done, but it seemed like she knew something about it. “Your Watcher will be in a tizzy for sure now.”

Buffy shrugged. “Don’t care.” She pushed Spike onto his back. She straddled his hips, trapping his hard cock against her hot pussy. “You’re mine, and I’m yours. We belong together. We always have.”’

“Kinda sudden, don’t you think?” Spike asked. Even after accepting his claim, he was worried that despite accepting his claim that the Slayer wasn’t as serious about him as he was about her. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

Buffy could feel Spike’s worry, but that didn’t stop her eyes from filling with tears. She wasn’t sure she could handle yet another rejection so soon on the heels of her friends’ dismissal. With a quiver of her lower lip, Buffy started to lift herself off Spike, but Spike halted her departure with a firm grip on her hips. “That came out wrong, Slayer.”

“How can it come out wrong?” Buffy tried to pull away from Spike’s grip. “You don’t want me.”

Spike suddenly sat up. He kept one hand on Buffy’s hip while the other buried itself in her hair. “Don’t you ever, ever bloody well think that,” he snarled. “I want you to be sure that it’s me that you want. I spent the past century being second in a woman’s heart. I won’t play second fiddle again.”

“Spike, if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that I want you in my life and heart.” Buffy bit her bottom lip. “I just don’t understand what you could possibly see in me.”

Spike stared at the unusually apprehensive Slayer. What the fuck had those damned Scoobies done to the confident Slayer he met in Sunnydale just a few months before? He knew from their previous discussion what happened the whole sordid aftermath of his previous visit to the Hellmouth, but this was soddin’ ridiculous. With a raised eyebrow, Spike replied, “How can I not want you? God, you’re a hell of a woman, Buffy. I can see you with perfect clarity. You’re everything I didn’t know I wanted until I met you. You’re bright, beautiful, sexy as hell, and you’re all mine now.” He saw the continued doubt on his mate’s face. “Fuck, pet. Those wankers did a real number on you, didn’t they?”

Buffy let out a whimper-filled sigh when Spike pulled her against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her body in a tight, cool embrace. Buffy looped her arms around his neck, and she buried her face into his shoulder.

“I really meant it when I said that I love you,” Spike whispered. “Dru’s known for a long time now. Maybe she knew even before we met you. It was her bloody pixies that sent us to Sunnyhell, and you’re why she dumped me all those months ago.”

“So, I wrecked your relationship too?” Buffy sobbed. “You and she were together forever.” She wondered if any relationship was safe from her screw ups.

“You did nothing of the sort,” Spike denied. “You didn’t wreck anything between me and Dru, and you certainly didn’t wreck the Whelp and Red’s relationships. They did that all on their own. You had nothing to do with them being caught snoggin’. If anyone in this room is to blame for that mess, it’s me. I’m the one that kidnapped them.”

“But…”

“Let me show you exactly how you affect me, Slayer. How you’ve affected me since I laid eyes on you dancin’ at the Bronze.” Spike slid his hands down to Buffy’s hips, and he lifted her kneeling body up. By some miracle his hard cock lined up with the entrance to her pussy almost like it was a divining rod towards where it wanted to be most. He had not lost his erection during the seriousness of their discussion. With a downward pull of his hands, Spike plunged balls deep into Buffy’s heated depths.

Buffy threw her head back with a load, guttural groan. She shivered and quaked as her body adjusted itself to the invading phallus. Buffy squeezed her inner muscles until she pulled an answering groan from the vampire beneath her. She continued to grasp at Spike’s cock with her tight vaginal muscles until she could feel him pulsate within her walls. Buffy moved her mouth to his neck, quickly found the bite marks left behind by Drusilla, and as she felt Spike erupt within her body she bit down hard and sure on his flesh.

“Slayer,” Spike bellowed. He felt his semen and blood leave his body at the same time. It was a unique feeling that he had only felt a few times before. Drusilla rarely let him take her blood during sex as she was worried he’d try to claim what wasn’t his to have.

Buffy pulled away from Spike’s throat, and she examined the bleeding wound. She licked her lips clean before she said softly, “Mine. You’re all mine, Spike. I won’t share with anyone.”

“Yours,” Spike answered with reverence. He buried one hand in Buffy’s hair, and he pulled her face close to his own. The other hand guided her hips up and down in a slow, sensual ride that brought them to a mutual climax that was just as satisfying as a hard fuck. He couldn’t believe she’d reciprocated a claim on him. To belong and be loved was something he’d desired since his human days. It may have taken him 150 plus years to reach this point, but it was well worth the wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was much later before the Slayer and her vampire dragged themselves away from each other. Freshly showered, and ravenously hungry, Spike and Buffy arrived in the brothel dining room to find Madam Jake holding court with her girls and Lance Baldwin Jr.

“Welcome.” Madam Jake waved at the newcomers. “Hope you’re hungry. There’s plenty. I’ve told everyone about who you are, Jalav ”

After Buffy filled a plate with breakfast goodies, she slipped into a vacant chair next to Nalia. Spike leaned against the wall behind her while he studied the room’s occupants. There was a new girl sitting next to Madam Jake. She looked down at her plate, and she refused to look up at anyone. Spike wondered about how the girl ended up at the brothel. She certainly didn’t look like she was up to being a lady of the night.

“There’s blood if you want some,” Madam Jake said to the vampire.

“I’m fine.” Spike gave Buffy a heated smirk. “I’m not hungry at all. The Slayer saw to _all_ my needs.”

Buffy blushed before she turned to Nalia. She really liked the other girl very much, and she felt the need to apologize. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell what was going on, Nalia. I didn’t want it to slip about who I really was.”

“I understand,” Nalia said. “It’s all cool. I just want to know how you avoided having sex with your clients.”

Buffy glanced at Spike before she pulled the crystal she had planned on using on him out of her purse. “It’s a crystal that makes the client think he’s had the best sexual encounter of his life.”

“Does it work on vamps?” Jehna asked.

“I would assume so, but I never got to try it.” Buffy blushed again. “Spike overwhelmed me with his sinister attraction.” She glared at the other girls when they giggled at her remark.

“Buffy, I’d like you to meet Tara,” Madam Jake said when the girls were done laughing with the Slayer. “Like Nalia her father sold her to me, but she doesn’t want to work in a brothel. Since she’s a Wiccan, I thought that you might be able to use her.”

“T-they’re n-not g-going to w-want me,” Tara stuttered to her plate. “I-I’m a d-demon.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Nalia said softly to the scared girl. “Jheina is half Brachen, Killisa and Millisa are half Naga, and Jeheria is one fourth Polgara demon. I like all of them. They’re really nice to me.”

Buffy felt sorry for the girl. She knew what it was like to be rejected by those you cared about even if they didn’t deserve such consideration and love. She rose to her feet and went to crouch next to Tara to look up into her down turned face. “Let you tell you about my little group. I’m the Slayer. That means I’m faster, stronger, and can heal faster than normal humans. I’m mated to Spike over there, and he’s a vampire.”

Tara glanced through her hair at the girl talking to her, and then at the man leaning against the wall.

“I was supposed to kill Spike, but somehow it just never took. Boy, am I glad about that.” Buffy gave a bright smile. “Now about the rest of the gang. My Watcher was into magic when he was younger, and it was some pretty dangerous stuff too. Oz is a werewolf, and Anya is an ex-vengeance demon.”

“If you’re a demon, Glenda, I’m a monkey’s uncle,” Spike commented.

“Oh, wow, lucky you,” Buffy said gently. “You got yourself a nice Spike nickname.”

“What if my dad comes looking for me?” Tara fiddled with the napkin in her lap.

“We protect our own,” Buffy assured Tara. “Let’s go someplace private to talk. Thanks for everything, everyone. We’ll be ready to go at nightfall, Lance. Please be ready.”

Lance nodded his head. He was ready to get out of this place anyway. The worst experience of his life had happened here, and he was glad that whatever drug Loki had used on him hadn’t been addictive. He really didn’t want to spend any time in rehab. He cursed his friends for dragging him to the brothel. Lance only wanted to party for Mardi Gras before he had to get married and take on the responsibility of his father’s company. 

Buffy rose to her feet, pulled Tara up. After a quick nod to Spike, the three of them left the dining room. They went to Buffy’s room where the Slayer packed as they discussed future plans.

After quite a bit of talking it was decided that Tara would go on to Cleveland rather than join the group in Sunnydale. Joyce had already received word a job was waiting for her at an upscale art gallery. Tara and Joyce would meet up in the Ohio town to get things ready for the rest of the group. Both had a feeling that the Wicca witch would fit right in with the group.

Spike, Buffy, and Lance caught a late flight back to Sunnydale. The Slayer and the vampire were not surprised by the quantity of late night arrival times to the Hellmouth. Tara drove Spike’s precious Desoto to Cleveland. The vampire had a hard time parting with his baby, but he knew that the Wicca would be careful with his car.


	7. Chapter 7

Epilogue

EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER, CLEVELAND, OHIO

“Nalia and Jake are here,” Buffy said when she heard the knock on the front door of the house she shared with Spike. They were expecting the two women for a visit. Jake felt the need to escort the pregnant Nalia from New Orleans to Cleveland where Nalia wanted to join the Slayer’s circle of helpers.

“We’re almost ready with the cake, honey,” Joyce said from the kitchen. “Why don’t you answer the door?”

Buffy rushed to the foyer. She was eager to see the friends again. They had communicated through phone calls and the occasional letter, and this would be the first time she’d seen them since leaving New Orleans. Buffy flung the door open with a big grin on her face. The smile quickly disappeared when she saw it wasn’t Nalia and Jake. “Angel,” she said, the disappointment evident in her voice.

Angel had been delighted to see the smile on Buffy’s face when she first opened the door. He was saddened when her delight quickly changed. Why wasn’t she happy to see him? Wasn’t she glad he spent the past months helping Faith be a better Slayer?

In the kitchen, Spike growled when he felt his grandsire’s signature. Those gathered looked at him in surprise. When he saw their faces he replied, “It’s not Nalia and the Madam. It’s the poofter.”

“Oh dear,” Joyce said. “What does he want?” She had been thrilled when Angel had taken an interest in the other Slayer. She felt that the tall, broody vampire wasn’t right for her fun loving daughter. Joyce wasn’t exactly thrilled when Buffy had presented Spike to her, but she had to admit that the blond vampire grew on you after a while.

“I don’t know.” Spike looked concerned. He peered towards the front of the house. “Be right back.” He slipped out of the kitchen.

“I never liked that one,” Ceely Rose said to Oz. “Maybe we better give them back up.”

“You do realize they’re a master vamp and a Slayer, don’t you?” Cordelia asked.

“Yeah, but you know, they can still use the support.” Ceely Rose grabbed Oz’s hand, and they followed Spike.

“Where’s the rest of your posse?” Buffy glanced past Angel to see if he was alone.

“They don’t need me anymore,” Angel answered. He was sure he could convince Buffy that he really did love her. Then, she’d drop that upstart idiot grandchilde of his. “Faith is having an easier time with her calling. She doesn’t need my help. I’m here to assist you again.” 

Buffy took a few seconds to process Angel’s words. What the broody vamp didn’t know was that Wesley had called Giles as soon as Angel left Sunnydale on his way to Cleveland. The younger Watcher had explained that Faith was now involved with a young Army man from Iowa, and that she no longer relied on Angel the way she had when she first came to Sunnydale. Behind her, Buffy heard Spike’s sarcastic snort.

“Please let me in, Buffy,” Angel pleaded. He knew if he could just talk to her for a few uninterrupted minutes that she would understand everything and be so happy with him.

“Why on Earth would I do that?” Buffy asked. “As Spike pointed out before, we’re not really friends. Even before you abandoned me, we weren’t really friends. I didn’t like you when you first popped up with your cryptic crap, but being young and stupid, I fell for your line of shit. No more, Angel. You made me feel like crap. Not just Angelus, but you did it. I don’t need any fair weather friends.”

“You’re not welcome here, Angelus.” Spike stepped up behind Buffy, and he put his hands on her shoulders.

“Go back to Sunnydale, if you haven’t worn out your welcome there too,” Buffy echoed the sentiment. “I don’t have any feelings for you anymore. When it comes to you, I’m apathetic girl.”

“I love you, Buffy.” Angel gave Buffy a sad look. He couldn’t believe that she wasn’t excited that he was back in her life and willing to pick up where they left off. “You know I had to help Faith. You’ve always been the strong Slayer. She needed me.”

The implication that Buffy hadn’t needed Angel was greatly implied. If it hadn’t been for Spike the idea might have hurt the Slayer more. As it was, she didn’t care anymore. 

“You don’t know anything.” Ceely Rose stepped forward. She glared at the dark-haired vampire. “You just want your cake and to eat it too. Greedy is what I call you.”

“You never knew what I needed, Angel. You just assumed you did. What I needed was someone who had my back, let me make my own decisions, and treated me with respect.”

“And that someone is Spike?” Angel sneered.

“Yes, it is.” Buffy nodded. She smiled over her shoulder at the bleached blond. “Lindsey, do you have the papers ready?”

Lindsey McDonald stepped out of the living room into the foyer. He had been waiting for this moment since Angel had shown up on the door step. He stepped close enough to the door to grab Angel’s hand, and he slapped a sheath of papers into the vampire’s palm. “Angelus, Childe of Darla, grandchilde of Heinrich Nest, you are hearby banned from the city of Cleveland. You have until dawn to be beyond the city limits, or you will regret the consequences.”

Spike let out a laugh. “Hope you enjoyed your time in Hell, Gramps, cuz that’s where you’ll be again.”

“Buffy?” Angel looked at Buffy in confusion. “You can’t mean this.”

“Oh, but I do,” Buffy replied with finality. She closed the door in Angel’s face. She turned to Oz. “You and Ceely Rose go head Nalia and Jake off before they hit the front door. Bring them in the back way to avoid Captain Cryptic there.”

Oz nodded. He took Ceely Rose’s hand, and they made their way back to the kitchen where the back door was. Oz knew that Nalia didn’t need the added stress of a confrontation with an irate, jealous vampire. 

“That went easier than I anticipated,” Buffy said softly.

“He won’t give up,” Spike replied. “He’s like a dog with a bone sometimes.”

Outside the house, Angel couldn’t believe what had happened. There was no way Buffy would do such a thing to him. He was the love of her life. She had told him that on several occasions before he had to help Faith. Angel was sure it was all a bluff. All he had to do was wait until dawn, and when he didn’t go to Hell, he’d come back to convince her that Spike was just playing with her. With a nod of his head, he started off towards his hotel. All he had to do was wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lindsey McDonald chuckled to himself. Angelus was such an idiot. Did he really think he could play with him and Wolfram and Hart? He had to admit when Lorne shot him dead before the final battle with the Circle of the Black Thorn, he had thought he’d spend eternity in purgatory. When they told him that they wanted to change things to prevent so much death and destruction, Lindsey had been skeptical. However, it hadn’t taken long for the lawyer to realize that possibilities were endless. If one way didn’t work out, the PTB would let him try another. 

An evil smirk crossed McDonald’s face while he watched the sunrise. He could feel Angel’s dimensional shift as the broody vampire failed to comply with the restraining order.

THE END


End file.
